A Peace Treaty (Q2477)
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Fashion House from FMD
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | A Peace Treaty |
Fashion House from FMD |
Statements
Easy, elegant vacation clothes have become one of Spring 2019’s dominant themes. It’s partly about comfort, partly about escapism, and there’s a dash of ’70s bohemia in there, too; that decade is also trending right now. Which is all to say Dana Arbib couldn’t have chosen a better time to expand her line of vibrant, far-flung scarves into a line of true ready-to-wear over the past few seasons. Spring 2019 felt of a kind with her Resort lineup, inspired by what Arbib called “the Crystal Light ’80s”—a period when the clothes were softer and sultrier than the boxy suits and shoulder pads we tend to associate with that era. Spring built upon the idea with a touch more polish; if Resort was the APT girl’s ideal vacation wardrobe, for instance, then Spring is what she’ll pack for destination weddings. The Lurex-streaked midi dresses could pass for an actual ceremony (just add strappy sandals and giant earrings!) while the tie-dye caftans and strapless jumpsuits had a chilled-out yet refined look for all of those afternoons by the pool.Color is Arbib’s specialty, and Spring found her experimenting with bold new combinations: acid green and lilac, neon cherry and navy. They might not be as easy a sell as her pretty pink and fuchsia florals, but the palette helped elevate the lineup a bit. In a white or pastel linen, they’d feel a little too casual. Next season, it would be nice to see Arbib branch out into more evening-appropriate looks, too; sheer silk and cotton frocks work for certain events, but there’s still a market for true “cocktail dresses” that are cool and unstuffy. With her eye for print and color, hers would be a no-brainer hit.
14 September 2018
There was a can of grapefruit La Croix on Dana Arbib’s Resort 2019 mood board. Next to it: photos of ultra-sleek Miami homes and pools, Helmut Newton’s famousVoguephoto of women in pink dresses with flowers in their hair, and film stills fromCocktail. The message was unmistakably ’80s, but it wasn’t the same ’80s we’ve been seeing on the runway. In lieu of big shoulder pads, garish colors, and sequined party dresses, Arbib was thinking about a warmer, sultrier vibe, which she jokingly referred to as “the Crystal Light ’80s,” when campy commercials for the powdered drink were on TV and everyone sipped it by the pool. Crystal Light still exists, in case you were wondering, but La Croix (which launched in 1981, a year before Crystal Light!) is the sipping beverage of choice these days.The streaks of pale pink, orange, and teal on that ’80s La Croix can actually summed up Arbib’s vision pretty well: The colors turned up on her sheer Peruvian knit dresses, and matching sets of linen trousers and knotted blouses came in a similar graphic, tropical motif. As for the shimmery caftans, flared miniskirts, and loose silk button-downs, they could’ve been plucked right out of Elisabeth Shue’s vacation wardrobe inCocktail. They were sexy in a languid, relaxed way, and the colors were transporting. Arbib has a knack for unlikely clashes, a product of her frequent globe-trotting and artisan partnerships: Consider the jewel-toned stripes of fuchsia, lime, and cobalt on a plunging wrap dress, or the violet and Lurex ribbons on a strapless number. Those dresses nodded to a softer, more casual moment in the ’80s but would actually look a lot more polished than the shredded cut-offs and bra tops that constitute “resortwear” in 2018.
15 June 2018
A Peace Treaty has been in business for 10 years, but this marks Dana Arbib’s first Fall collection. She started out making vibrant, far-flung-feeling scarves with materials sourced from around the world, often with handmade details courtesy of artisans in India, Bolivia, Peru, and beyond. Those scarves are still a big part of APT, and the business has helped to preserve many of those heritage crafts. Arbib develops her own textiles and vibrant prints inspired by her adventures, too, and a few years back, she added easy caftans, slip dresses, and other resort pieces to the mix.Fall 2018, however, is a full-on fashion effort. It’s rooted in relatively simple shapes—silk button-downs, pajama trousers, long-sleeved dresses, and robes—in kaleidoscopic paisleys and foulards. (Arbib pointed out that the artwork for each print is designed by hand and digitally printed, which cuts down on fabric waste.) She’s a skilled colorist, and arty, color-loving women will be drawn in by her unlikely palettes. One group of slip dresses and blouses came in pieced-together strips of sapphire, rust, and emerald scarves; a camel coat was shot through with pale blue checks; and bandana prints came in oddly satisfying swirls of brown, neon pink, and green. There was an unmistakable ’70s vibe to it all, and Arbib namechecked ’70s-era Harlem street photography along with the vibrant work of Brooklyn artist Mickalene Thomas as references. In the video, Arbib re-created that world with a cast of groovy girls (including MAAD) wearing the new collection and singing, dancing, and playing guitar in a recording studio. They look stunning—and utterly relaxed. Any artist or musician will tell you that’s key for a good performance; they want clothes that pack a punch, but still feel easy. Women in New York likely want the same thing from their wardrobe; luckily, Arbib’s lean dresses and pajama separates are suited to all kinds of women, whether you’re up on stage or working in an office.
22 March 2018